Owasso Fire Department EMS Captain Chase Coates Named 2026 James O. Page Legacy Scholar
Source: Mission Critical Protocols
SAN DIEGO, CA — The Fitch EMS Foundation and Mission Critical Protocols, Inc. are proud to announce Chase Coates, EMS Captain with the Owasso Fire Department in Owasso, Oklahoma, as the recipient of the 2026 James O. Page Legacy Scholarship. The award will be formally conferred at the Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum, held July 13–16 in San Diego.
Named for the late James O. Page, JD, widely regarded as the father of modern EMS, the scholarship honors his lifelong commitment to mentoring the next generation of EMS leaders. Coates will receive a structured six-part mentorship facilitated by Dr. Jay Fitch, beginning with all-expenses-paid attendance at this year's Pinnacle forum.
Coates was selected from a national pool of applicants for his systems-minded approach to EMS leadership. In under four years with the Owasso Fire Department, he rose to EMS captain while leading quality improvement initiatives, building data-driven training programs for new paramedics, and championing a culture where performance data is used to coach and support crews rather than criticize them.
"If I could transform one thing in EMS, it would be the way we use data," Coates wrote in his application. "When people see that information is being used to help them succeed, it builds trust and creates momentum for change."
"Chase embodies exactly what Jim Page stood for, frontline credibility paired with the drive to make the whole system better," said John Ehrhart, founder and CEO of Mission Critical Protocols and the 2023 James O. Page Scholar. "I've experienced firsthand what this mentorship does for a career, and for the people around you. We couldn't be prouder to help pass it forward."
"The Foundation exists to develop the leaders EMS will need tomorrow, and Chase's commitment to his people and his community made him a standout choice," said Dr. Jay Fitch, namesake of the Fitch EMS Foundation.
About the James O. Page Legacy Scholarship
Jim Page coordinated Los Angeles County's first paramedic rescue services, served as technical consultant for the television series "Emergency!", and founded JEMS, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services. Author of six books and more than 400 articles, he mentored thousands of EMS professionals before his death in 2006. The scholarship carries his legacy forward through structured mentorship of aspiring EMS leaders.
About the Fitch EMS Foundation
The Fitch EMS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by Fitch & Associates to honor EMS pioneer Jay Fitch, PhD, and the Firm’s ongoing commitment to EMS professional development. Its mission is to empower service leaders and their communities by supporting leadership development, education and research efforts for EMS and public safety. Learn more and help invest in tomorrow's leaders at fitchemsfoundation.org.
About Mission Critical Protocols, Inc.
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Diego, Mission Critical Protocols is an end-to-end protocol publishing platform that helps EMS and healthcare teams publish, manage, and distribute decision-support protocols and guidelines — putting actionable clinical information in providers' hands wherever they work, online or off. Learn more at mcprotocols.io.
